Many problems after SP-2 download

I downloaded the SP-2 today - (took 90 minutes) - and now I can't get the system to work right. Can't log onto my home page (cookies denied), can't bring up the "help and support" area from the start button (doesn't respond) so I can't try to do a 'system restore'. Computer is very, very slow ... making me wonder if it has a virus. When I try to shut down I get error messages saying it can't shut down. (Tried to do a virus scan and it took 30 minutes to review about 15,000 files. At this rate, it would take a week to scan the computer.)

I'm concerned that I can't bring up the 'help and support' site from the 'start' button.

Help please?? Do I need to do some type of Windows re-installation? If so, will I lose my files?

Please comment. (For some reason I'm still able to get on IE and log on to this site.)

 

fantasma--You are naming so many problems that it may be best to uninstall SP2. Can you get into Start|Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs? If so, you should find Windows XP Service Pack 2 near the bottom of the list and can remove.
Now if you still have the problems, indeed you may have a virus or spyware. But let's address that if uninstalling SP2 does not help.
P.S. You say you downloaded SP2. I understand you also installed it.

 

I checked under "install/remove programs" in the control panel ... and this SP-2 is not listed. I went back to the MS XP site and checked the 'installation history' for my computer, and it shows that the SP2 was successfully downloaded. Maybe it isn't completely installed? I haven't done anything other than re-booting. I didn't notice that there was a zip file or anything of the like.

What should I do? If it isn't listed in the 'install/remove programs' ... does that me that it isn't installed? Is there somewhere else to check to see if it has been sucessfully installed? I'm having all sorts of problems w/ the computer. The mouse doesn't successfuly open program icons much of the time. (I have to click 8 or 10 times sometimes. Maybe the hard drive is still working ??) I don't know, it's certainly a mess. If I can uninstall the SP2 I certainly will. I tried to run another virus scan and it was 90 minutes into it when I turned it off. It had only processed 150,000 files. I've tried running the Norton Utilities (system check) and it seems to hang up. (no results / progress after 1/2 hour.)

Any other comments are welcome.

 

fantasma--I assume you checked under W for "Windows XP Service Pack 2" in the Add/Remove list.
You say "it shows that the SP2 was successfully downloaded. " I can't remember if Installation History shows downloading versus installed. Does it say "installed "?
Can you get to Control Panel|System? System Restore is one of the tabs there.
Try rebooting several times. Sometime WinXP repairs it self.

 

I was able to finally see all the "XP" updates listed on the "Install/Uninstall" feature.. (I didn't have one of the boxes at the top of the "Install/Uninstall" program clicked to indicate that updates should be shown.) Unfortunately, the XP-SP2 STILL is not listed. (There are about 15 'hot fixes' for XP that apparently are updates that I've done over the past year or two. The SP2 that I did today, is not listed.)

I point out that when I click on the "My Computer" icon and on properties, it shows XP - Service Pak 2 installed. So, I would assume this means it's installed. (Don't know why it doesn't show up on the Install/Uninstall feature.) I managed to do a complete Norton Virus Scan - (took 3 1/2 hours) and no virus was found. I've tried to do some of the other Norton registry scans, etc., and the program seems to stall .... but maybe it's just working it's way through things. I guess I'll try that again.

I'm still looking for suggestions.

The symptoms I'm having now: (a) computer is very, very slow, (b) when I click on an icon, it takes maybe 60 seconds for the program to load, (c) I can't log on to My Yahoo (it won't recognize my ID/password .... says that IE is rejecting attempt). (d) when I try to do Norton diagnostics, it either gets 'hung up' at certain points or takes a very, very, very long time processing data. (so long that I have the impression it's hung up and end up stopping the scan).

HELP !!

 

An update:
I'm still having problems after having installed the SP2. As described above, the sytem is very, very slow. I doesn't remember password/IDs (such as this site and My.Yahoo.) I can't check my My.Yahoo e-mail account since IE "won't accept cookies ". When I click on a desktop program, the hour glass is shown only for about 5 seconds .... and then nothing happens for about a minute until it finally opens the program. (Since the hour glass doesn't show, it isn't clear if the computer is 'working' or if the program just isn't going to open.)

I managed to run Norton Utilities and corrected a few 'registry errors'. This still hasn't resolved the problems.

I will appreciate comments from anyone who can help me with this problem.

If I can uninstall / re-install Windows XP, (without loosing all the files on the computer), I'm willing to do this if it's the only solution.

Help!!

 

I've gone back to the "install/uninstall" feature ... and see that there are 16 of the "hot fixes" for Windows that have (SP2) indictated ... but the dates that indicate they were installed do not correspond to yesterday's installation of SP2. I'm reluctant to just start deleting them since I get a 'warning' that several programs may not function correctly.

There is not a single entry of SP2 and no installation dates of yesterday.

Still looking for help.

 

fantasma--I see you have started a new thread on this. I hope that will not just confuse matters since some people will not be aware of what has already been written (suggestions and failures).
Did you try using that alternative route to System Restore? (Even if does not work, check to see for the future if you have enabled System Restore to create Restore points.)
No, do not uninstall those older XP hot fixes. They are not related to the installation of SP2.
Will you lose you personal data if you use the XP CD to reinstall XP 1? It depends on what type of XP CD it is. Is it a full retail version? Is it what is called an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Recovery CD? The latter will probably definitely overwrite your other data.
In either case you should consider backing up the personal data to removeable storage (like zip drive, CD-R, etc.). That is not necessary for programs and hardware for which you have installation CD's.

 

I went to the System folder and saw that the System Restore function IS turned on. I didn't see, however, how to run this program from the "System" folder. Did you mean that you thought I could initiate from there?

I've gone back to half dozen or so dates to do the system restore and, eventhough it seems to be making the necessary changes, once I sign back on, I receive a message that "system restore could not restore to the date selected and no changes have been made ". (I'm only selecting the dates highlighted in bold and when I select them there is a listing of a specific time that the restore point was made . So, I'm assuming that the dates I am selecting are OK ... but for some reason, the function isn't working.) Any other comments regarding SYSTEM RESTORE and how I might get it working?

I did a "search" for UNINSTALL and found a text file with the log of the installation of the SP2 (dated yesterday). I did not locate any executable files for uninstalling the SP2. Do you still think that it should be listed in my "Install/Uninstall" group of programs?? (It isn't.)

If I don't receive any other information that can help me resolve this problem that has come from doing the SP2 installation, I guess I'll start backing up files (on CD) and get ready to try to re-install XP tomorrow with the disk I have. The disk I have says "Operating System, Reinstallation CD" for MS XP Home Edition and came with the computer (Dell) and is identified as a Dell CD. I'm assuming that it will help me get the XP re-installed.

I still welcome comments ... since I don't have this problem resolved yet.

Thanks in advance.

 

fantasma--How to run System Restore (from Start|Help and Support)
"There are three methods that you can use to access System Restore functionality. The last is a new way.

You can access the System Restore Wizard through the Start menu. To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore.
You can access System Restore through Control Panel. To open the System Restore Wizard, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System. Click the System Restore tab, and then click Learn more about System Restore. In Help and Support, click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard.
You can access System Restore through Help and Support Center. To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard. "
This article may also help
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/systemrestore.mspx

However, you say it is not working, although I do not think you have to use only the dates in bold. I think you can click any date and restore from there.

 

Thanks for the feed back. I've been running System Restore through the HELP section accessed through the start button. I've tried once more in the last 1/2 hour ... and again, it says it cannot restore. (It shows that it is actually processing data and says that it is in the process of 'restoring to selected date' .... but once I reboot, it says it cannot restore to that date.)

I went back to the Microsoft page to see if I could re-install the SP2 - but the scan that MS does evidently shows it is already installed and doesn't give me the option to 're-install' it.

Any other comments / suggestions are welcome.

 

I've been able to resolve the problem through discussions with Microsoft (help chat). They were able to give me the DOS command to do an Uninstall. I uninstalled the SP2 and things are back like they were previously.
Microsoft said I definately had a 'bad installation' since the update did not show up in the "Add/Remove Software" area on the control panel.

I've requested a CD for the SP2 and won't reinstall it until I have the disk.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

System Restore Points are not present on days not in "bold ". System Restore will give a message that it was unable to restore if it does not detect any changes in system files between the current date and the date selected to restore. If a SR point becomes corrupt (remember, they are cumulative) all dates past the corrupt one are invalid. (To delete all but the current SR point, use Disk Cleanup)

If the SP2 install went wrong, that would explain all the sudden problems. If you already have a good security policy in place, you don't need to be in a hurry for SP2.

But, with a single partition and a "recovery" disk, and you need a plan for back ups. In the other thread, Sparrow suggested a "down and dirty" method for an emergency, but you wouldn't have been in a jam if you had been using an appropriate backup system, all along. Additional harddrives, regularly burning cds or dvds, software like Ghost or GoBack, partitioning,etc are among your alternatives. Post a thread asking for suggestions, and tell how you use your computer. There isn't one good blanket suggestion for back ups, it depends on your needs.

It sounds like your computer may have other issues, too. I want to caution you about running Norton Utilities (like Win Doctor) or other third party "clean up" or defragmenter tools- try doing all your diagnostics and maintenance from within XP. For some reason, XP doesn't like the way other programs arrange data, and will busily go about correcting the "errors" that the other software has made. This results in wasted time and more disk confusion. XP has good native tools. Save the extra software for Win9x systems.

HTH
Johanna

 

Hi All,

Just wondering if you could pop over to HERE and see if you can give me a bit of help on this SP2 issue